Diamond in the rough or just Cubic Zirconium?

[MoldnMaker]

I wanted to ask you humble opinions on a project I am thinking of doing. I recently came into possesion of an old woodworking bench that one of my uncles made. He pasted on about 5 yrs ago and this has been sitting in my grandmothers shed ever since. He made it maybe 5 yrs before he pasted. He was a artist when he painted and carved wood, but his construction technic was a bit unorthodox. The bench was modeled after one he saw built on a woodworking show. I forget the name of the show, but it was the one with the guy who didn't use power tools. Wore suspenders and funky little hat.

Anyway back on topic. The bench needs work to make it stable and straite again( new parts, new top, new finish ect...) I don't even know the exact function of the clamp like thing made into the top and the stepped side on the top. Any ideas? Is it worth fixing? or should I just recyle it into a CMS stand? by removing the fold out bench and the stepped side.

[LCHIEN]

... The bench was modeled after one he saw built on a woodworking show. I forget the name of the show, but it was the one with the guy who didn't use power tools. Wore suspenders and funky little hat.

Roy Underhill - Woodwright's Shop on PBS. Can help you that much, anyway!
http://www.pbs.org/wws/program/index.html

[ironhat]

I'm guessing that yu're just looking for opinions so here goes. If there really isn't any sentimental value and, as you said, "The bench needs work to make it stable and straite again( new parts, new top, new finish ect...)", I'd say that it needs sufficient work to scrap it and start from scratch so that you have something stable which fits your needs to a "T".
FWIW,
Chiz

[RayintheUK]

I'm with Chiz on this. I've still got my Dad's old broom, but it's had a new head and a new handle!

Ray.

[BadeMillsap]

I'd salvage some of the wood and ....

use it for something else ... making a note of where the 'old' wood came from.

I do that sort of thing all the time .. sometimes just make picture frames from the old wood but note on the back where it came from ... you never know who in the family that might interest in the future ...

Bade

[Ken Massingale]

I'll go with Bade on this one.
ken

[MoldnMaker]

Guess it's unanimous that I should just recycle it. For the most part, the wood isn't real good, but the seat part is a cedar plank. Seems to me 5 yrs in the shed should make it nice and dried out. I'll think of somthing to make out of it. As for the rest of it, I suppose it will become firewood. Thanks for the help everyone.